🛴🚲 E-scooters and city bikes: how to use them legally and without conflict

Here are the basic rules for rental e-scooters and city bikes, where they operate (the metropolitan area, the ‘city of seven hills,’ the ‘technology capital’), how to recognise ‘quiet/red’ zones, where to park, how to behave in the rain and how to combine your trip with the metro/trains.

🌍 Where the services operate and how to distinguish between them

• Metropolitan area (Oslo). From 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2027, Bolt, Ryde, and Voi are authorised to operate. For zones of operation and restrictions (no-ride/no-park/slow), see the operators' apps — they include geozones requested by the city and private landowners.
• ‘Technology capital’ (Trondheim). Authorised operators for 2025–2026: Tier-Dott, Voi, Ryde (contact details and complaint forms are available on the city council website).
• ‘City of Seven Hills’ (Bergen). The city publishes parking recommendations and uses geodata from operators to monitor zones and enforce rules. The specific list of providers is subject to change — check the apps.
• City-bikes (station bikes).
  • Oslo Bysykkel: unlocking and parking only at stations, available from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m.
  • Bergen Bysykkel: 5 a.m. to midnight; 3-day and monthly passes available.
  • Trondheim Bysykkel: 6 a.m. to midnight; 60 minutes included in the trip.
  • In Oslo, individual trips on bysykkel can be purchased directly in the Ruter app.

Planning a trip to the city centre on public holidays? The municipality may temporarily close roads/impose restrictions in the city centre, as was the case on 17 May in Oslo.

🅿️ Parking and etiquette

• General rule. Park so as not to obstruct pedestrians, people with prams/wheelchairs and so that the scooter itself cannot fall over. Obstruction will result in a fine of NOK 900.
• Oslo. There is no publicly available map of the city's unified ‘red zone’: restrictions and ‘slow’ areas are enforced through operators' apps and at the request of area managers. In 2025, the city will actively fine drivers for parking violations, so end your trip only at a permitted location and take a final photo.
• Bergen and Trondheim. The same basic principles apply: do not block passages or ramps; cities publish tips on where it is best to park. Complaints about illegal parking are accepted via city forms.
• ‘Quiet zones’ and speed limits. In popular public spaces in large cities, there are geozones with reduced speeds and local restrictions — follow the notifications in the app. In 2025, targeted restrictions/zones were introduced in Oslo (e.g., the Bispebroen bridge), and operators are required to activate geofences promptly.

⛑️ Safety and weather

• National rules (in simple terms). Minimum age is 12+ (may be higher for operators), helmets are mandatory for children under 15; 0.2 per mille — the same limit as for cars; Passengers are not allowed; liability insurance is mandatory for all scooters (rental and private). On the pavement — only at walking speed and without obstructing pedestrians.
• Rain/cobblestones/tram tracks. Reduce speed, brake in advance, cross the tracks at a right angle. On wet cobblestones, minimise manoeuvres and avoid sharp turns. (Tip: on particularly slippery days, it is easier to take a city bike — it is more stable and can only be parked at stations.)
• Night visibility. Keep your front and rear lights on and add reflective elements to your backpack or jacket. Check that your brakes are working before setting off — in 2025, there were reports of vandalism damaging brakes at rental parks.

🚇🚆 Combining with public transport

• In Oslo (Ruter). Bicycles are free on the metro outside peak hours, and buses/trams/boats have a child fare; large scooters are subject to the same rule as bicycles/large scooters — check the app for details.
• Vy trains and regions. Small electric vehicles can be taken on trains if they do not interfere with other passengers; follow the instructions of the staff. In the Bergen region (Skyss), bicycles/electric scooters cost approximately half the price of a single bus/Bybanen ticket, subject to availability.
• When is it better to leave it at the station? If you have a long distance to travel by rail, end your rental at the station and continue by public transport. For bysykkel, simply return it to the station and pick up another one at your destination.

The secret to avoiding conflicts is simple: check the geozones in the app, keep to the ‘walking speed’ among pedestrians, and park so as not to disturb anyone. For a ‘safe finish,’ choose city bikes — station parking eliminates the risk of fines and complaints.